In recent Risperdal litigation events, Johnson & Johnson presented arguments before a Pennsylvania state judge that his ruling earlier this year to allow a new expert witness testify in the midst of a Risperdal bellwether trial was prejudicial and ultimately led to a $2.5 million verdict against the pharmaceutical giant.

The Risperdal lawsuit, one of 1,500 cases pending as a mass tort in Philadelphia County’s Court of Common Pleas, involve the highly publicized case of plaintiff Austin P., an autistic 22-year old from Alabama who allegedly developed size  46DD breasts as a result of Risperdal use.

Austin’s Risperdal attorneys were allowed to introduce testimony from a new expert witness in the middle of the Risperdal bellwether trial, after the plaintiff’s original expert voluntarily withdrew from the case after the defense questioned his methods of practice.

According to court documents, J&J filed a motion prior to the start of the Risperdal trial in January to prevent the previous expert witness from testifying over claims that he may have violated the law by examining Austin in his home state without a license to practice medicine there.

The judge rejected J&J’s motion as unfair, but the witness withdrew nevertheless.  As a result, the judge granted the plaintiffs motion to bring forth a new expert witness.

Now, J&J is arguing that by allowing a new expert witness to come in during the midst of the Risperdal trial did not allow them sufficiently prepare for cross-examination.

“It was something that happened in the middle of trial,” Johnson & Johnson attorney William Carr argued. “It happened very quickly, and it was not a situation where we were able to prepare from the beginning of the trial and to prepare our experts.”

Judge Djerassi, who is overseeing the case, will most likely rule on the matter in January 2016.

Risperdal Male Breast Growth Risks

Risperidone, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson and sold as Risperdal, is an antipsychotic drug that was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1993.

The medication is used as a treatment for schizophrenia, mania, and irritability associated with autistic disorder in children and teenagers. Risperdal belongs to a class of drugs known as atypical antipsychotics, and works by altering certain substances in the brain.

To date, 27 different studies have been conducted since 1998 that demonstrate the link of Risperdal use to male breast growth or gynecomastia.

In 2006, one such study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology found that the use of risperidone in children was associated with excessive levels of the hormone prolactin, which is tied to female breast development and lactation.

Three years later, research published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology revealed that these high levels of prolactin could persist for as many as two years, stating that “Current users of risperidone (which is the generic name for Risperdal) had approximately four times the risk of developing gynecomastia than non-users. When the analysis was stratified to children and adolescents (≤18 years of age) taking risperidone, the risk of gynecomastia was five times higher than for non-users.”

Risperdal Lawsuits

Risperdal lawsuits are mounting in courts around the country on behalf of men and boys who allegedly developed gynecomastia, or male breast growth, due to their use of the antipsychotic drug.

In fact, as of October 2012, Johnson & Johnson had already settled a handful of Risperdal lawsuits, even as the litigation surrounding the medication continued to grow.

If you or a loved one developed gynecomastia or other harmful side effects as a result of taking Risperdal, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering.

The Risperdal Lawsuit is Case No. 120401997, in the Court of Common Pleas of the State of Pennsylvania, County of Philadelphia.